Chinese students enroll in record numbers at U.S. colleges

The number of Chinese undergraduates on U.S. campuses in the last school year increased 43 percent from the previous year, according to the annual Institute of International Education Open Doors report that was released today.

Chinese undergraduates, like most international students, are highly attractive to universities: They are usually well-educated and well-traveled, bringing a global point-of-view and sophistication to campuses. Their helicopter parents are on the other side of the world. And they hardly ever tap university resources to fund their education.

View Photo Gallery: Chinese students enroll in record numbers at U.S. colleges.

(In fact, some universities became so zealous in their recruitment of international students that they hired commercial recruiting agents who charged hefty fees, Bloomberg reported in May.)

With that influx, it becomes easy for international students to just hang out with each other and speak their native language. At U-Va. I heard many gentle reminders for students to get out of their comfort zones and meet American students.

723,277: The total number of international students in the United States last school year. That’s a 4.7-percent increase from the previous year when there were 690,923 international students.

32 percent: The growth in the number of international students in the past decade.

$21 billion: The amount of money international students spend in the United States on tuition, fees, housing and living expenses.

70 percent: The percentage of international students whose primarysource of funding for college is from their personal funds, family, government and other foreign sources.

157,558: The number of students from China, a group that makes up 22 percent of all international students. (This group grew 23 percent in one year for all Chinese students and 43 percent for undergraduates.) Other popular countries of origin are: India with 103,895 students, South Korea with 73,351 and Canada with 27,546.

8,615: The number of international students at the University of Southern California, the most popular host school last year.

One Response to Chinese students enroll in record numbers at U.S. colleges

Impressive numbers. It’s good to remember that each student is an individual with his/her own talents, ambitions and needs. It takes an experienced, well connected agent to guide the student to the right institution, the right program, the right internships, and the right career path. Especially for students coming from different cultures — China, say, rather than Canada — the adjustment can be huge.